Andy Ngo decided to take part in an event billed as “Students of Color Speak Out.” He writes, “As a student of color and the gay son of refugee immigrants, the event’s premise interested me.” What Ngo found, however, was a climate of animosity directed at white Americans.

Small incidents can reveal great truths about educational institutions. That is the case with an encounter last year at the University of Texas – San Antonio (UTSA) between a graduate student and the chair of the school’s philosophy department.

It’s a deplorable state of affairs when college students – especially at an elite school – won’t listen respectfully to speakers and indulge in virtue signaling by turning their backs on other students who favor dialogue and civility.

A college professor is supposed to teach his subject and serve as a role model for students, at least when it comes to civility and respect for the rights of others. Often, however, professors feel justified in engaging in behavior that wouldn’t be tolerated in children, as a recent case at Fresno State University shows.

When the indomitable high school math teacher Jaime Escalante took on the challenge of teaching tough inner-city kids mathematics, he did not fret about whether they would find the subject too “white” for them. He just taught the concepts and the students learned them.

Many American college students are so intolerant of opinions that clash with their own that they feel justified in shouting down speakers they are certain they dislike. Faculty members have their own ways of trying to silence people with whom they disagree.

Despite all the grumbling, Americans keep donating huge amounts of money to their schools. They admit that they are deeply dissatisfied, but still write hefty annual checks to help support their alma mater. It’s like smoking—a bad habit that many simply can’t break.